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Don't need Prius until winter - How long do I have to wait to buy at MSRP?

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Balkan, Jun 25, 2008.

  1. Balkan

    Balkan New Member

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    2008 Prius
    Hi All:

    I live in NYC and want to buy a new Prius (package 3), but everyone seems to be selling at a premium to MSRP. I'm ready to buy now, but I could wait until late fall / early winter. If I wait will I have better luck? Or will supply problems continue to push the Prius above MSRP?

    PS - I am also interested in hearing about any dealers in the northeast who are selling at MSRP. Thanks!
     
  2. kjconrad

    kjconrad Junior Member

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    Location:
    Phoenix, Az
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I can't tell you where to buy one in NYC for MSRP, all I can say is use google and start calling every toyota dealership in the city, then neighboring cities until you find one.

    I was just put on a list here for a Silver Pine Mica package 2 for $500 under MSRP so there are still honest dealers out there. I was a little disgusted when some of the dealers I was calling told me they were charging $3000-5000 over MSRP.

    For anyone in the Phoenix, Az area we are on the list at Avondale Toyota, if you'd like to give us a reference PM me (I don't know that it will do any good but it can't hurt).
     
  3. hoppy

    hoppy New Member

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    :pI would start looking now..i ordered my prisus and it took 7 weeks to come in...when i picked it up they said the wait has tripled...its 2 weeks old now and just want to report that i LOVE it...our first road trip we got 48mpg,,,in town i am getting 50...after leaving my expedition in the garage i am smiling every day...i bought my car at sticker price here in pennsylvania and the dealer said they got notice to start selling above...good luck:)
     
  4. lfwintx

    lfwintx New Member

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    Some dealers here are saying an order placed now will have delivery around January.
     
  5. Freedom

    Freedom Active Member

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    Location:
    Northeastern MA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I ordered one on Monday for $500 under MSRP.

    Boch Toyota, North Attleboro, MA. Not sure if that is too far for you? SOme folks will go a long distance for a Pri!

    I heard the MSRP will be raised, by Toyota, due to the demand. So waiting could be a gamble in several ways. Who has a crystal ball, right?
     
  6. chajones

    chajones Junior Member

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    2010 Prius
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    IV
    I think Freedom has a good point. If I were Toyota I would significantly raise the MSRP on the 2009 models since the demand is so large. I am also not sure how much they are going to be able to increase the supply, since I think the limitation is their traction battery manufacturing capabily.
     
  7. N3FOL

    N3FOL Member

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    You can wait as long as you want, but there will come a time that you no longer can stand paying so much for gasoline and get less mpg than a Prius. I just ordered a Package 6 silver from our local dealer and it will arrive in 2 weeks time. The downside...you already know...it is $1000.00 over invoice. Nevertheless, my aunt is still willing to pay this amount of money. As suggested, start looking now for all you know the current price may not be too bad after all. Good Luck.
     
  8. Balkan

    Balkan New Member

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    OK - so I got on a waiting list today, after negotiating a price $600 over MSRP. I feel slightly screwed, but many dealers around here are charging $2k to $3k above MSRP and I felt I could live with this. I also need to get back to work, so it didn't seem worth it to start traveling to more far flung parts just to save the final $600. I am told the wait is 3-5 months.

    Will someone tell me I made the right decision?
     
  9. kjconrad

    kjconrad Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
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    Three
    You made the right decision, I am also on a waiting list and have been told I'm probably 4 months out right now. It's not even been a week yet and I can't wait...

    The good thing about the waiting list is more time to research your purchase before you're locked in. Even though I'm antsy about my long wait I've really enjoyed the low pressure experience I've gotten with the car purchase. On previous car purchases after I get away from he stress of the dealership I usually have at least a small regret, like over paying for the warranty or gap insurance. I know most people would do research on stuff like that before hand... I guess I'm a procrastinator.
     
  10. Freedom

    Freedom Active Member

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    Three
    Or in my case, the "bad" thing (tongue in cheek) is that you have time to do your research on here. I've got a list of almost $2,000 of mods I want to add as soon as I get it! :eek:
     
  11. mercuryct

    mercuryct New Member

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    hello Balkan-- I'm in Manhattan. Would you mind telling me which dealer you got on the list of? Thanks.
     
  12. Pegasus_

    Pegasus_ New Member

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    @Balkan: I'd say you made a good choice, especially if you're able to cancel your position if you change your mind.

    In any case, I know Toyota raised the price of the '08s by a couple hundred compared to the '07. Between the demand for this car, the rising gas prices (=higher demand,) and the falling dollar value (=worse exchange rate to Yen and the car is built in Japan) I'd be surprised if Toyota doesn't significantly raise the price of the '09s.
     
  13. dmcnickle

    dmcnickle New Member

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    Location:
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    2008 Prius
    I live in Wichita, KS and had to go to Kansas City to get a Prius. I ordered one over the phone with a dealer up there and paid a $500 deposit the first of May. I gave them 3 color choices and package choices. There were 17 people on the waiting list when I got on it. Two and a half weeks later they called and one of their allocations was available if I wanted. It was package 5 which wasn't my first choice but it was one of my color choices so I wasn't going to turn it down. It took another 2 weeks to arrive in Kansas City.
    When I picked it up 2 weeks ago, there were 94 people on the waiting list. The dealer said it would be at least January before some of them got a Prius because even though they are the largest Toyota dealer in the area, they don't get very many allocations each month.
    I paid MSRP but got a $2000 discount for Package 5. I am very glad I was able to get one and am a very happy Prius owner :)
    Timing was the important thing with me getting one and that I wasn't as picky about color or package options.
     
  14. Balkan

    Balkan New Member

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    Thanks - I have to say I'm a little apprehensive about the dealership because they pulled a bit of a bait-on-switch on me by saying on the phone that they happened to have my car on the lot at MSRP, first-come-first serve, and then when I got there they had me speak to different people who presented a different situation (namely, a pre-owned 2008 at above MSRP!). That said, I made a stink which I think helped me bargain down, and my individual salesman seemed pretty decent, but I'm just hoping this bad start doesn't lead to more problems down the road! I also have to say I've had other dealerships in the area tell me they sell at MSRP only to find out when they lured me there that the price was much higher.
     
  15. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    start making payments to your car fund now if ya can. will save you a bundle in interest over the life of the loan, could very well save you the $600 over msrp. (if you're financing, that is.)
     
  16. Balkan

    Balkan New Member

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    Hey Freedom - care to let me know what you have in mind? I'd love to know what the essential mods are.
     
  17. Red30

    Red30 New Member

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    I just got on a waiting list yesterday. The dealer said they're telling folks to expect an 11 month wait just so people don't get their hopes up. I basically signed up to take anything except the standard or package 1.

    The cool-but-interesting thing: It says on the sales agreement that they'll charge me MSRP exactly. IE, there's no chance I'll pay more. So I'm happy, and prepared to be patient.

    Just curious: Did folks here trade in their previous cars or sell them privately? I know selling would net more money, just don't know if I'm up for the hassle. The good thing I'm trading in a Protege5 so it's not like I'm trading in a Ford Expedition or something.
     
  18. Balkan

    Balkan New Member

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    I'm sending our old Outback up to a family country house where it can live out its retirement by making short trips, especially in the winter months. I guess this turns out to be environmentally responsible as compared to selling it to someone who will log long miles on it, but that wasn't the plan.

    I probably would not have done a trade-in anyway, because that would give the dealer just one more of raising the real price of the Prius (by lowballing the trade-in value of course) and I wanted a clean negotiation.

    The 11 month possibility. My dealership said 3-5 months, but I had a hard time pinning them down on how that works. The salesman said, at various points: (1) the are the biggest Prius dealer in the area and get the most cars, (2) I'm about 100 on the list, and (3) they get in maybe 1 Prius a week!. If (2) and (3) are both true, I'm totally screwed, so I'm planning to call today to try to really pin this down, perhaps with someone higher up the chain there.
     
  19. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    It seems that every dealer always says that they are either the biggest Prius dealer in the area, the "best" dealer in the area, or the cheapest dealer in the area. Perhaps "the area" is 1 square block? :)

    Basically, you can't trust them if they're trying to sell you a car. This actually goes double for any comments of where you are on "the list" and how long your wait time is. We've heard too many stories of people (gleefully) saying that they managed to bypass "the list" by being lucky enough to call at the right time. I'm not saying that every dealer does this or even most dealers do this, but I've heard too many cases of this happening for it to just be a one-in-a-million thing.

    I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just trying to say that calling around is definitely worth it and, if you have time, you should definitely consider going further afield. Some people have had better luck with more rural dealers. At least consider NJ, CT, and upstate NY dealers.
     
  20. Balkan

    Balkan New Member

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    Yeah - thanks for the advice. I hear you in terms of going further afield. Thing is, I have no problem with a 3-5 month wait if that's the real wait, but if if we're taking 7 or 8 months then there's more of a problem. Do you think that's a serious risk? When I called today, I spoke to the owner who told me I was last on a list of about 30 - he seemed nice enough but who knows.